HOW RACHEL MET "HIM."
Adelonga at about nine o'clock on the morning of the race day would have
presented to the eye of the distinguished traveller--who, however, did
not happen to be there, though he was a pretty constant visitor--a
thoroughly typical Australian scene; typical, that is to say, of one
distinct phase of Australian life. It was the enchanting weather of the
country to begin with; which, say what grumblers will, is not to be
matched, one month with another, in all the wide world--clear, fresh and
sunshiny, with an air at once so delicate and so invigorating that none
but exceptionally unhappy mortals could help feeling glad to be alive to
breathe it.
There had been a cold mist overnight, which was now melting away before
the sun in shining white fleeces that swathed the hollows and shoulders
of the hills behind the house, long after the upper slopes and peaks had
stood sharp and clear in their own forest garments against a sky as pure
as a sapphire and as blue as wild forget-me-nots.
All the shrubberies that hemmed in the great garden--all the
smooth-shaven wide lawns where croquet hoops still lingered--all the
lovely waves and festoons of creepers that flowed over and curtained the
verandah eaves--all the bright box borders, and all the gay
flowerbeds--glistened with a sort of etherealised hoar-frost, and were
greener than painter's palette could express in this early spring time.
The rambling, old, one-storied house, with its endless roofs and gables,
was the very type and pattern of that most charming of all bush houses,
_the_ bush house _par excellence_; cottage in design, palace in the
careful finish and elaboration of all its appointments, which, when its
owner is rich and cultured, marks the latest of many developments--such
as becomes, unhappily, rarer every year, and will soon have disappeared
entirely.
Columns of white smoke rose from half a dozen chimneys, testifying to
the noble logs that blazed away within; while French windows, sash
windows, lattice casements, and doors of all sorts stood open to the
morning sun and the delicious morning air. Behind the house rose a
screen of budding orchard trees, flushed here and there with peach and
almond blossoms. Before the house, on the wide gravelled drive, where
never weed presumed to show its head, stood an open break, large, but of
light American build, round which most of the family and several
servants were congregated, while four powerful horses fidgetted to be
starting, the wheelers only being attached at present.
Mr. Thornley stood in the break, superintending the bestowal of luncheon
hampers, and shouting cheerily, but with that touch of imperiousness
which indicated a man who had been a master all his life, to the
servants below him. Mrs. Thornley, looking slight and girlish, stood on
the steps of one of the numerous front doors, wrapped in a shawl. She
had wished very much to go to the races too, and to take the nurse and
baby for the further glorification of the occasion; but her husband had
forbidden her to think of anything so foolish, and she had ceased to do
so accordingly, with an abject meekness that would have greatly
disgusted Mrs. Reade.
Mrs. Hardy stood on the doorstep too, more imposing than ever beside
this gentlest and most unpretending of her children; and the governess
came out of the house in festive apparel with her two elder pupils
dancing after her.
Rachel was already on the box, where she was to sit beside the driver,
to her great delight. She was in the wildest spirits, and she was
looking as lovely as everything else looked on that eventful morning.
She had quite disregarded Mr. Kingston's injunctions to take care of her
complexion.
A dark-blue felt hat worn rather on the back of her head, left her soft
face exposed to the sun and wind, as well as to the admiring gaze of all
men. Nothing could have shown up its texture and colour, nor the
wonderful burnished richness of her hair, better than that dark-blue
hat. She wore with it a dark-blue, close-fitting dress, very tight about
the knees, as was then the newest mode, but setting easily to her figure
otherwise, and strongly outlining all its perfect curves of girlish
beauty. She would rather have displayed the sealskin jacket than her own
lovely shape, if she could have found an excuse for doing so; but the
day was going to be warm, and her aunt, who was a thrifty soul, would
not allow the sealskin jacket to be made a mere emergency wrap of--to be
thrown into the boot with the rugs and waterproofs.
Everything was ready at last, after a great deal of commotion and much
running to and fro--the bountiful luncheon that was to be available for
all comers when luncheon time came, the hamper of crockery, the basket
of fresh-cut salad, the wine, the beer, the soda-water, the spirit stove
and kettle to make afternoon tea with, &c.--and the ladies took their
seats.
Mrs. Hardy throned herself in an inside corner, Miss O'Hara, the
governess in the opposite corner, next the door sat the butler and a
nursemaid, and the children took up the room of four grown-up people in
the middle of the vehicle. However, it was expected to have a full
complement of passengers coming home, which was a great satisfaction to
everybody.
Mr. Thornley climbed into his seat and began to gather up his reins: the
two restive leaders where put to; the groom who was to accompany the
carriage rode off to open gates; and "Steady! steady!" roared the
driver, letting out his thong with lightning flashes over the four bare
backs, as the impulsive animals after their immemorial custom, mixed
themselves all together in promiscuous kickings and buckings prior to
coming to a clear understanding with themselves and him.
For the few delightful seconds that were occupied in getting off, Rachel
was deaf to the cries of her terrified aunt, and blind to everything but
the wild movement beneath her; then, as the horses sprang into their
collars simultaneously with one great bound, and swept out into the
paddock, scattering frightened sheep in all directions, she looked back
at her cousin, standing forlornly alone on the doorstep, and waved her
hand rapturously.
"Good-bye! good-bye!" she called, in her clear happy voice. "I do wish
you were coming!" And looking down on Mrs. Hardy before she turned her
head, she rallied that stately matron in a gay and reckless manner. "It
is all right, Auntie: there is nothing in the world to be afraid of. We
made a beautiful start! If the off-leader does get both his traces on
one side, Mr. Thornley knows how to make him get between them again.
And, oh, _what_ a day it is!"
It was, indeed, a day--the kind of day I suppose that has made us, young
and old, the holiday-loving, easy-going, fate-defying people that we
are, and for ever unfits us, when we have had a few years of them, for
any more of those stern experiences, social and atmospherical, in which
the youth of many of us seems to us now to have been so harshly
disciplined.
Sir Henry Thompson has shown us what a close affinity exists between
food and virtue; no grown Briton can come out here for ten years and go
back without learning something of the value of climate as a raw
material of happiness.
Though every settled township in the colony has its racecourse and its
yearly meetings, this, the nearest to Adelonga, was a two-hours' drive
distant, even with four fast horses; and it was nearly the time for the
first event to come off when our party reached the ground.
The course lay in the ring of a shallow valley, hemmed in with low
hills on one slope of which the vehicles of the "county families" of
the neighbourhood were withdrawn a little apart from the space occupied
by the bulk of the crowd, and such booths, merry-go-rounds, and other
rural entertainments as the bulk of the crowd affected.
There was no grand stand, no platform even--except the judge's box,
which was dedicated to-day to Mr. Thornley's use, and a gallery running
along one side of the saddling-enclosure, where the betting men chiefly
congregated. But this slope, rising rather steeply immediately behind
the place where a grand stand _would_ have been, was a favourable
position, for ladies at any rate, from which to view the main
proceedings; and here the Adelonga break was brought to anchor.
Two grooms were waiting to take out the horses, which were fed and
watered on the ground in the prevailing picnic fashion, and "hung up" at
the boundary fence, where scores of others were tethered.
Mr. Thornley looked about for the people he expected to join his party,
found they had not arrived, and then set forth to the saddling-enclosure
to see what horses were going to start and when.
Rachel continued to sit on the box, and thought it was delicious. She
had a powerful field-glass all to herself, and through this she surveyed
the units and groups that composed the company--women and children, a
great many of them, in charge of sporting husbands and fathers of all
ranks, all perfectly orderly and well-behaved, and all apparently
enjoying themselves as much as she was.
Some people from a neighbouring buggy came up to speak to Mrs. Hardy,
and to inquire after Mrs. Thornley's health; and a carriage full of
young people further down enticed away the Thornley children and Miss
O'Hara.
Before she was involved in any of these social proceedings, however, Mr.
Thornley returned, and asked her if she would not like to go with him
and see what was doing "down there"--pointing over his shoulder in the
direction from whence he had come.
In a moment she had sprung lightly from her perch and was standing
beside him, pleading eagerly for her aunt's permission, which was
graciously given, with certain vague qualifications that she did not
stop to listen to.
And then she tripped across the green springy grass, shy and fluttered,
and charmed with her enterprise, blushing vividly under the stares of
those dreadful men, and feeling in her innocent heart not a little proud
of the distinguished position in which she found herself.
The bell was ringing for saddling, and Mr. Thornley took her into the
enclosure to see this operation, which she found deeply interesting.
Crowds of men--betting men, jockeys, owners, stewards--elbowed one
another in and out, and the horses paced and pranced amongst them; and
into the thick of it marched the burly judge to show his young charge
what there was to be seen.
And what did she see? Jockeys putting on their jackets in semi-private
corners; owners superintending the adjustment of saddles and riders;
noisy gamblers rushing hither and thither with book and pencil; graceful
horses lightly sailing out one after another to try the chance on which
so much beside money was staked; and--men falling back respectfully to
make way for her wherever she went, and to gaze with surprised curiosity
and admiration on the unique spectacle of so fair a creature in so rude
a place. It was all very delightful.
"And now," said Mr. Thornley, who for his own part was well pleased to
keep her with him, "now you shall stand in my box and see the race. Come
along."
And away they went into the outside crowd, and she was escorted up the
steps and placed like a queen on her royal dais, in sight of all the
country side assembled. She was inclined to think that--for once in a
way--it was even better than going to the opera.
Thereafter until the race was over, she watched the proceedings with the
deepest awe and interest. She was so afraid she should embarrass Mr.
Thornley in the performance of his professional duty that she got as far
away from him as possible, and leaning over the side railing enjoyed her
observations in silence.
The horses came to their starting-place and had their usual differences
of opinion. Ambitious amateurs offered advice to the starter, who
recommended them to mind their own business. Two or three jockeys
careered about wildly, and one was fined; and then the flag dropped, and
they rushed away; and Rachel lifted her glass with trembling hands and
gazed at the flying colours, mixing and fading as they passed into the
sunshiny distance, and held her breath. Round they came presently, and
past her they flashed, two or three together, two or three straggling
behind; and the roar of the men beneath and around her made her turn a
little pale.
No word was uttered that was unfit for her girl's ear to hear, but the
waves of shouts rolling all about her expressed a fierce eagerness of
suspense and expectation that made her think of "poor Lorraine Loree,"
whose husband sacrificed her to the chance of winning a race.
The clamour rose, and lulled, and rose again, as for the second time the
green circle was traversed and the horses came in sight--some lagging
far behind, some labouring along under the whip, two keeping to the
front almost neck and neck, whose names were flung wildly into the air
from a hundred mouths.
And then Mr. Thornley, standing quietly with his eye upon the little
slip of wood before him, said, "Bluebeard and Jessica--half a head." And
it was over.
Rachel drew a long breath. She was not sorry that it was over, though
she was very glad to have seen it. She shook herself, as if to get rid
of a painful spell, and felt that she might begin to enjoy herself
again.
"_Dear_ horses!" she exclaimed, with an almost solemn rapture as she
watched them straggle away. She would have liked to go up and pat them
all, and caress their heaving flanks and their poor trembling noses,
after all they had gone through. And then her face brightened as the
winner came pacing back, dropping and lifting his beautiful head as he
filled his lungs again; and when his jockey saluted the judge, she
leaned forward over the railing and smiled a smile in acknowledgement of
his prowess, which made that jockey think himself a hero for the rest of
the day.
"And now," said Mr. Thornley, "there is nothing more at present: so
we'll see how your aunt is getting on, and look for the Digbys." The
Digbys were the people they expected to take back with them to Adelonga.
But even as he spoke he was arrested in his place by some of his many
friends, who crowded the steps below him, wanting to have a few minutes'
gossip about the race, or perhaps wanting to have a nearer view of her
own pretty person, never seen in those parts before.
And while she waited she turned aside to have another amused look at the
children in their merry-go-rounds, and the lads playing Aunt Sally, and
all the simple festivities of the holiday-makers, whose proceedings she
could so well survey from her present commanding position; and it was
then that she saw for the first time a remarkable-looking horseman
riding slowly through the crowd.
Her attention was attracted in the first place by the beauty of his
horse--for in a small way she was a good judge of horses: and then she
noticed that the equipment of that noble animal was slightly different
from what she was accustomed to see.
She supposed it was an English saddle in which that tall man sat so
square and straight; then she wondered why he wore his stirrup leathers
so excessively long; and then lifted her glass and stared intently at
his face. There was not much of this to see just now, even through a
strong glass; for he wore a small, soft cap with a peak to it, low over
his eyes, in which the sun was shining, and though his jaws were shaven
and his brown throat bare, he had a heavy, drooping, reddish moustache,
which was the largest she had ever seen.
He was riding in the direction of the judge's box, and as he came near
she dropped her glass, and shrinking back shyly touched that potentate's
arm. Mr. Thornley turned round, and the horseman took off his cap with a
stately sort of careless courtesy, and revealed a clear-cut, keen-eyed,
powerful, proud face, neither young nor old, rather thin and worn, and
tanned and dried to leather-colour, which Rachel felt at once to be the
most _impressive_ face she had ever looked upon.
"Hullo!" cried Mr. Thornley, in an accent of profound amazement. "Why,
I thought you were gone to Queensland!"
"I ought to have gone," the stranger replied. He had a quiet, cool
voice, that nevertheless rang clear through all the noise about them. "I
duly started yesterday, but we broke a trace, and I lost my train by two
minutes."
"Two minutes! Well, that was hard lines. Are the Digbys here?"
"Yes."
"You are not going to make another start immediately, I suppose?"
"Not till next week, I think."
"Then you'll come back with us to-night?"
"Thanks."
Here he reined up his horse just beside Rachel's railing, and sent a
furtive but searching glance up into her pretty blushing face.
"Allow me to introduce my wife's cousin, Miss Fetherstonhaugh," said Mr.
Thornley, laying his hand on her shoulder with a paternal gesture.
"Rachel, my dear--Mr. Roden Dalrymple."